Bottle-closure.



W. G. CLARKE.

BOTTLE CLOSURE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 111111 3.

1 1 00 536 Patented June 16, 1914.

Mzllz'czm C CZar/re.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. CLARKE, OF BROOKLAND PARK, VIRGINIA.

' BOTTLE-CLOSURE.

Specification of Letters ZPatent.

Application filed larch 26, 1918.

Patented June 16, 1914. Serial No. 756,916.

and more particularly to closures therefor,

and has for an object to provide a closure which can be conveniently applied to .a bottle or jar and which not only normally acts as a cover or sealing medium for the jar, but also aids in the proper dispensing of fluid therefrom.

The invention includes, among other features, a body having a spout and which is adapted to be arranged on the neck of the bottle or jar, with the spout normally closed by a lid or 'cover, the said lid or cover carrying a member which is adapted to swing with the lid or cover'when the bottle or jar is tilted, to move the lid into an open position and uncover the spout and also act upon the fluid or contents of the bottle or jar in such a manner as to gage.

or regulate the flow of fluid from the bottle or jar.

In the further disclosure of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, constituting a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the bottle and closure, showing the lid of the spout in closed position; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View of the structure disclosed in ig. 1, the bottle being tilted in partially open position; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the lid and governing member.

Referring more particularly to the views, I disclose a bottle 10 including an integral neck 11 provided at its upper end on the inner face thereof with a circular recess forming a seat 12 and which, by being formed on the neck 11 as mentioned, provides an integral annular bead 13 on the neck. A gasket 14, constituting a sealing and supporting member, is arranged on the neck 11 to inclose the bead 13, with the lower edge of the gasket engaging the outer face of the bottle 10, the upper portion of the gasket being adapted to fit around the u per edge of the head 13, with an edge 0 the gasket reposing upon the seat 12, as shown, the said gasket being preferably made of rubber or any other similar flexible material.

A body 15 is supported on the gasket 14 and includes an integral attaching portion 16 which is adapted to encircle the gasket 14 and whlch has tapered sides so that when the body 15 is engaged with the gasket 14,

the gasket will be compressed so that the outward pressure of the gasket against the attaching portion 16 will tend to rigidly support the body 15 on the bottle 10, as shown, it being thus seen that the gasket 14 not only acts as a support for the body but also constitutes a sealing medium between the attaching portion 16 of the body and the neck of the bottle. The body 15 is provided with a flat head 17 and also includes an integral spout 18, a lid 19 being mounted to swing on the head 17 and adapted to normally close the spout 18 when the bottle 10 is in an upright position, the said lid having an integral depending sealing flange 20 formed by bending down the edge of the lid so that the sealing flange will extend downwardly beyond the edge of the spout and seal the same when the bottle is in an upright position.

Depending from the under side of the lid 19 is a governing member 21, the said gov erning member preferably consisting of an integral ball shaped body 22 having a flared groove 23. It will be understood that the governing member 21 can be formed integrally with the lid or can be conveniently secured thereto in any manner. Now it will be apparent that when the bottle 10 is in an upright position the weight of the governing member 21 will tendto hold the lid in closed position with respect to the spout 18, and the sealing flange 20 of the lid encircling the edge of the spout will efliciently seal or close the spout so as to prevent dust or dirt from enterin the bottle when the same is not in use. N ow when it is desired to pour some of the contents of the bottle therefrom, the bottle is tilted in the usual manner, and in view of the manner in which the governing member21 is carried on the .lid 19 it will be readily apparent that the lid will swing into an open position to uncover the spout.

It will be further apparent, however, that as the fluid is poured from the bottle it will engage the governing member 21 and whlch will tend to obstruct the outgoing fluid in a manner which will cause the fluid to flow through the groove 23, and which being tapered, will converge the flow of the fluid as it leaves the spout so that the fluid will flow from the spout in a steady solid stream, which can be increased or decreased in thickness by tilting the bottle at a greater angle from its normal upright position or returning the bottle from a greater angle toward its normal upright position. Therefore, it will be apparent that with the gover'ning member 21 arranged on the lid in the manner mentioned, a fluid contained in a large mouthed bottle can be poured therefrom in a small thin stream or in a large solid stream, the thickness of the stream being dependent entirely upon the position of the governing member with respect to the fluid as it flows from the spout. Therefore,

inasmuch as the position of the governing member with respect to the fluid which is poured from the spout depends upon the angle at which the bottle is tilted'it will be apparent that the flow of fluid can be easily increased or decreased by manipulating the bottle as it is held in tilted position in the hand of the user.

My device is particularly adaptable for use in connection with bottles or vessels for dispensing molasses or syrups and can also be very practically used in pouring milk or other fluid from a large mouthed vessel into a'vessel having a small mouth or entrance. The governing member 21, however aside from regulating or governing the flow of fluid from the spout of the vessel, also tends to quickly cut off the flow of fluid from the bottle when the bottle is uickly swung into an upright position after eing tilted and in consequence thereof, drops of the fluid will not hang on the edge of the'spout, particularly in view of the provision of the sealing flange 20 on the lid 19. It will therefore be apparent that the device described is not only adapted for the purpose of governing or controlling the flow of fluid from a vessel and for constituting a sealing medium for the vessel when the same is not in use, but the invention presents a clean, neat and sanitary structure, which, particularly when used in connection with vessels containing syrups, will prevent the sticky fluid from hanging on to the edge of the spout 18.

It will be understood that although I have described a particular manner of attaching the body 15 to the bottle 10, I do not limit myself to this particular form and it will be further understood that I do not limit myself to the particular construction of the body as disclosed herein, the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In a bottle closure, the combination with a body for attachment to the bottle, of a lid mounted to swing on the body and normally closing the same, and a fluid governing member carried by the lid for governing the swinging movement thereof and for regulating the flow of fluid from the said bottle.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM G. CLARKE. Witnesses:

W. WARREN DABNEY, POWHATAN BAKER. 

